Stretching & Warming up
(NOTE: If you have any injuries, or even think you might, or you
have health problems of any kind or feel any sort of unusual pain
or discomfort, consult a doctor. These stretches are all very standard.
None of them should cause pain. If they do, stop.)

Very few sports are as demanding as basketball. Ping-pong, bowling,
or checkers perhaps, but few others. It's essential that you stretch
key muscles before putting them to real work.

Warming up

Before you do anything, the body needs a warmup, lasting 5-10
minutes. Lightly jog around or jump rope until you start to sweat.

About Stretching

Once you're warmed up, immediately go into your stretches. The
purpose of stretches, in case you don't know, is to increase the
range of motion of your joints. And note that basketball flexibility
takes time to achieve. It doesn't happen overnight. Do not bounce
as you stretch. You stretch slowly, leaning/pushing into the stretches
so that you feel them working, but no pain should result and you
shouldn't feel anything extreme. Focus your attention on the area
you're stretching. Breath slowly. Hold each stretch for 15-25
seconds. Perform each stretch twice. Do not over-stretch. When
in doubt, stretch easier, not harder. Again, if anything really
hurts, stop stretching. Muscles are not to be torn or yanked,
they are to be eased into the stretches.

Sports / Basketball Stretches

Stretching: Hamstring Stretches

Your hamstrings are the muscles on the back of your upper legs.
Sit on the floor. Cross your legs in front of you. Slowly straighten
your left leg with your toes always pointing straight up. Keep
your right leg bent, with the bottom right foot against the inner
part of your left leg. Lean forward from the hips until you start
feeling your hamstring stretch. Hold this stretch for 20 seconds.
Now switch legs and repeat entire stretch.

Stretching: Back Stretches

Lie on your back, legs flat on the ground. Hold your right leg
just below the knee and slowly raise it towards your chest. Keep
your leg straight (or as straight as possible) and your head down
during this. Hold for about 25 seconds. Lower the leg. Switch
legs. Repeat. Do this with each leg 3-5 times.

Stretching: Calf Stretches

Stand near a wall. Lean your forearms against it, with feet flat
on the ground. Lean your forehead against the back of your hands
while they're on the wall. Bend your left knee, bringing it towards
the wall. The right leg remains straight while doing this. Start
moving your hips forward. You will feel your right calf stretch.
Hold for about 20 seconds. Rise to a standing position and switch
legs and repeat.

To stretch your Achilles tendon, do the above while bending slightly
at the knee.

Stretching: Groin Stretches

Sit on the floor. Forming a circular shape with your legs, join
the soles of your feet together and hold them with your hands.
Lean your elbows on the inside of your legs. Lean your upper body
forward from the hips. You'll feel a stretch in your groin. Hold
it for 20 seconds, slowly sit up, and repeat this from the beginning
once or twice more.

Stretching: Shoulder Stretches

Stand up. Put your right hand over your left shoulder. Put your
left hand on your right elbow and pull that elbow toward your
left shoulder. You'll feel your right shoulder stretching. Hold
it for 20 seconds. Then reverse everything and repeat.

Stretching: Arm Stretches

Loosen up your arms/shoulders by sticking them straight out (sideways),
swirl them in small tight circles, make the circles wider and
wider until you're basically swinging your arms in a circle that
goes from the floor around to the ceiling. That should take about
30 seconds. Do this again but swirling your arms in the reverse
direction.

Vertical Leap Exercises - Jump Higher

Deep Knee Bends --- Be standing. Slowly bend
at the knees while keeping your back straight. Slowly crouch down
as low as possible (it shouldn't hurt) and slowly rise back up.
Do this 15 times. Over time increase to 20, 30, etc.

Deep Knee Bend Jumps --- Be standing. Crouch
down as described above but fairly quickly, almost touching your
bottom to the ground, then explode upwards as high as you can.
The moment you land, immediately crouch and launch back up again.
Do this 15 times, and when you can, increase to 20, 30, etc.

Toe Raises --- Stand regularly, then raise up
onto the tips of your toes. Lower back down. Don't just rock up
and down, do it slowly (not too slowly) but steadily. Repeat 30-50
times.

Toe-Raise with Weights --- If you have any sort
of weights, holding/wearing them while doing these toe raises
will help. Use small weights (a mere 5 or 10 pounds is fine) and
work your way up.

Stomach Crunches --- We believe that sit-ups
are bad for your back. Stomach crunches, where while lying on
your back, using your ab muscles and keeping your back straight,
you rise up just enough to lift your shoulders off the ground,
are better. Do them often - perhaps for 10 minutes in the morning
and 10 minutes at night.